Community Update Letter – November 2015

November 2015

Dear Resident,

Re: Update on Bradwell B Power Station Proposals

You may recently have seen coverage in the national and local media about proposals for a new nuclear power station at Bradwell-on-Sea, Maldon. I am writing to let you know the current position, how the Bradwell proposal fits into our nuclear new build plans and what happens next.

To provide you with some context, EDF Energy’s safe and secure operation of its eight existing nuclear power stations at sites across the country makes it the UK’s largest generator of low carbon electricity. Here in the East of England EDF Energy operates Sizewell B power station in Suffolk which delivers enough power for over two million homes and businesses.

The proposed nuclear new build site at Bradwell is immediately to the east of the existing Bradwell A power station and was designated by the Government in 2011 as being potentially suitable for nuclear new build.

In October this year EDF Energy, along with EDF’s long-term partner China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN), announced that we are intending to develop three new nuclear power stations in the UK in partnership, subject to receiving the appropriate consents and permissions. This would start with Hinkley Point C (HPC) in Somerset, followed by Sizewell C (SZC) in Suffolk, and Bradwell B in Essex.

HPC is the most advanced of the projects, having received planning consent in 2013 following several years of multi-stage public consultation. SZC has also begun the process of developing its proposals, progressing a range of technical studies over several years, publishing initial options on the power station development and undertaking public consultation. Both these power station projects would be built with UK-EPR nuclear reactors, a third generation pressurised water reactor similar to the existing Sizewell B.

Bradwell B is currently at a pre-planning stage, meaning that no plans have yet been produced. It will take several years to progress any detailed proposals as the development requires a range of consents and permissions, including planning permission called a Development Consent Order, a nuclear Site Licence, and various environmental permits. As part of the development consent process we will undertake detailed consultation with local communities and the local authorities.

CGN and EDF Energy are intending to develop Bradwell B with UK-modified Chinese technology, another third generation pressurised water reactor called an HPR1000, also known as a Hualong, again similar to Sizewell B and the UK-EPR reactors being proposed at HPC and SZC.

The UK’s robust nuclear regulation ensures that all developers and operators must demonstrate that they meet strict compliance requirements for safety and security. An important part of this is the regulators’ Generic Design Assessment of proposed reactor designs – CGN and EDF have agreed to take the Hualong reactor through this process together in partnership, utilising the experience of EDF Energy and the UK EPR projects.

Consultation with the local community will be key to progressing any proposals. Due to the early stage of the Bradwell proposal, there is currently no defined timeline. We are at the very start of a lengthy process and every site and project is different, but to provide context HPC published its initial proposals in 2009 and it is only now, following some preparatory works, that the project is at the point where the main construction of the power station could begin soon.

Once more detailed Bradwell proposals are developed we will begin initial consultation. In the meantime we will keep you informed as we progress.

CONTACT US

LATEST NEWS

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